onset

noun

on·​set ˈȯn-ˌset How to pronounce onset (audio)
ˈän-
1
: attack, assault
withstand the onset of the army
2
: beginning, commencement
the onset of winter
the onset of age-related diseases

Examples of onset in a Sentence

the walls withstood the onset of the first battalion the claim that if you take enough vitamin C at the onset of a cold, you'll often recover faster
Recent Examples on the Web Perhaps the biggest sign to look for is the sudden onset of symptoms, Bowling said, like a person suddenly losing the ability to talk during a phone call. USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 Trump’s election in 2016 marked the onset of the third stage. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 16 Mar. 2024 The climb of Kohl’s Plenty of ink has been spilled about the death of the department store, mainly thanks to the onset of fast fashion and online shopping. Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 The American workplace’s experiment with remote work happened, effectively, overnight: With the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, more than half of workers began working from home at least part of the time, according to Gallup. Ben Casselman, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 That ensures that vegetation dries out more slowly and also helps to moderate the onset of warmer weather, said Brett Lutz, BLM meteorologist with Predictive Services Northern California Operations. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Additionally, the state’s NAEP outcomes slipped after the COVID-19 pandemic—albeit less so than most other states—and achievement gaps based on race and income have widened since the onset of the pandemic. Christian Barnard, Orange County Register, 29 Feb. 2024 Labor force participation rates have been on a decline — largely due to demographic changes and aging Baby Boomers — since hitting a high of 67.3% in early 2000, and had fallen to 63.3% in the month before the onset of the pandemic. Alicia Wallace, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024 But the average age of puberty onset keeps dropping, and researchers aren’t sure why, though there are plenty of possible reasons. Alexa Lee, STAT, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'onset.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1522, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of onset was circa 1522

Dictionary Entries Near onset

Cite this Entry

“Onset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onset. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

onset

noun
on·​set ˈȯn-ˌset How to pronounce onset (audio)
ˈän-

Medical Definition

onset

noun
: the initial existence or symptoms of a disease
the onset of scarlet fever

More from Merriam-Webster on onset

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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